1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a lifting device for moving heavy objects. More particularly, this invention relates to a lift dolly possessing a latch mechanism for securely locking the dolly in a lifted position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Often it is desirable to move heavy equipment in a timely fashion. Many devices are available for moving equipment on the factory floor or in a workshop. Some devices such as cranes are capable of transporting and lifting extremely heavy equipment. However, cranes are generally expensive and complex.
Alternatively, simple dollies that pivot about an axle are extremely portable and easy to use. However, these simple dollies are not capable of moving heavy equipment.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a machine that is capable of lifting and moving heavy equipment in a simple method and timely fashion.
One attempt at providing such a lift dolly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,173 to English, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. While the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,173 is capable of lifting and transporting machine tools, it has been discovered that the latching mechanism is difficult for a user to properly align, thus leading to an insecure lift.
Another attempt at providing such a lift dolly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,649 to English, Stahl, and Hees, incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. While the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,649 is also capable of lifting and transporting machine tools, it has also discovered that the toggle-type spring latching mechanism may prove to be unreliable to consistently latch and unlatch the dolly frames.
Therefore, it is also desirable to allow a user to align the latching mechanism in a robust, reliable manner. It is also desirable to provide a simple, robust, reliable latching mechanism which can be easily disengaged by a user to set the load down on the floor, without the use of power or hand tools.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a lift dolly that is capable of lifting relatively heavy loads and transporting these loads in a secure fashion. The claimed invention is directed overcoming, or at least minimizing, disadvantages of the prior art.